Mohun Bagan peg back gutsy Mumbai FC

by Kaushal Shukla May 2, 2015

Mumbai FC drew 1-1 with McDowell’s Mohun Bagan in the Hero I-League at Cooperage on Saturday, 2nd May 2015. There was little to choose between the two sides after a tight encounter in Mumbai

Khalid Jamil tweaked his side a bit bringing in Shilton D’Silva in the line up against Mohun Bagan who were looking to pull away from the chasing pack.
Mohun Bagan were missing top scorer Balwant Singh who was suspended.

Mohun Bagan almost got off to the perfect start when Yusa Katsumi’s free kick thundered against the crossbar in the 2nd minute.

The game failed to take off from there as both teams struggled to get a foothold in the game.

Post the twenty minute mark, Mumbai FC grew into the game and had a good chance in the 25th minute when Pradeep Mohanraj failed to keep his header off a Mohammed Rafi cross on target.

Mumbai FC finished a dull first half on top after peppering the Mohun Bagan box with deliveries from set pieces. But Bagan dealt with the danger as the game was deadlocked at half time.

Mumbai FC did well to nullify the Mohun Bagan threat and ask questions off the Mariners rearguard in the first half.

Mumbai FC started the second half on the front foot as Jayesh Rane made a darting run at the heart of the Mohun Bagan defence but was bundled down illegally to give Mumbai FC a free kick in a dangerous area just two minutes into the second half.

Mohammed Rafi drilled in the free kick which was deflected wide for a corner. Mumbai FC took advantage of the set piece as Reisangmei Vashum headed home the corner taken by Jayesh Rane to give Mumbai FC the lead in the 49th minute.

Mohun Bagan weathered the early second half storm from Mumbai FC and nearly carved out an opening when Yusa Katsumi volleyed a looping header goalwards but was denied by Sanjiban Ghosh who made a fine save low to his right in the 59th minute.

The chance gave Mohun Bagan the impetus as they pegged Mumbai FC deep into their own half.

Mumbai FC survived a huge scare in the 61st minute when Allan Dias cleared a diving header from Jeje off the line seconds after Sanjiban Ghosh acrobatically kept out Soni Norde’s header.

Mumbai FC brought on Sampath Kutti Mani in place Pradeep Mohanraj in the 75th minute to add some fresh legs to the side.

But it didn’t help the cause as Mohun Bagan equalised just seconds later when a Soni Norse corner was only partially punched clear by Sanjiban Ghosh to put the ball perfectly in Dhanachandra Singh’s feet who needed no invitation in putting the ball into the net and draw Mohun Bagan level.

The goal silenced the home crowd and anxiety set in as Mohun Bagan began to completely dominate proceedings.

Sanjiban Ghosh got injured in a clash with a Mohun Bagan attacker and after a long lay off had to be replaced by Nidhin Lal in the 89th minute.

That led to eight stoppage time minutes, but neither side could conjure up a decisive moment as Mumbai FC eked out yet another 1-1 draw.

The draw extends Mohun Bagan’s lead to four points at the top of the table while Mumbai FC remain eighth in the table with seventeen points.